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(Image Credit: Supplied)
By Josh Hall
building canada, one game at a time!

Alberta invited to returning Play On! street hockey tournament in Calgary this August

Jun 24, 2026 | 12:24 PM

An extremely exciting street hockey festival is returning to Calgary, and all of Alberta is invited.

Play On!, in partnership with several entities, including Hockey Night in Canada, runs August 20-22, activating 10 city blocks in Calgary’s downtown.

There will be 20 custom-built temporary street hockey rinks, up to 300 teams, and around 3,000 participants.

The inaugural Play On! event was back in 2003, and it has since engaged about 2.5 million Canadians in events nationwide.

“Street hockey is a Canadian superpower. It fuels imagination within our children and nostalgia for millions more. It binds families, connects neighbours, unites classmates, and links generations. It is a language spoken everywhere from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island, including Alberta, Quebec, and every Indigenous territory and community,” Scott Hill, Play On! Canada board chair said Wednesday.


(Image Credit: Supplied)

“It is the game that helps those from around the world to feel welcome in Canada. It has been called a national phenomenon, a fabric that weaves Canada together as one nation. It is the game that has meant more to young Canadians than any other game in any form.”

The tournament will feature several categories, including:

  • U7 co-ed
  • Adult beginner, intermediate, and elite (male & female)
  • Legends 35+ (male & female)
  • U9-U19 of any experience (male & female)
  • Adult co-ed & Corporate co-ed

Another exciting aspect of the event is the Celebrity Draft fundraising campaign. Fundraising is encouraged but not required. The top fundraising teams will earn a draft selection to add a celebrity player or coach to their roster. Celebrities will include current and former NHL and PWHL players, Canadian sports personalities, prominent social media influencers, and others.

Play On! will ultimately support several local charities, including Calgary Food Bank, Calgary Police youth Foundation, and other Play On! community programming.

Additionally, it is made possible with help from both the provincial and federal governments, as well as Hockey Canada, Hockey Alberta, and Hockey Calgary.

Play On! holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest street hockey event.

Register now at playon.ca.

by Josh Hall